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New study supports same-sex adoption and parenting

On Behalf of | Jul 23, 2013 | Adoption

Same-sex couples already defeated the Defense of Marriage Act, which opened the door to many possibilities, including, federal laws that will allow same-sex marriages. Yet, for many people in Houston, a battle may have been won but this family law war is still far from over.

One challenge that same-sex couples face is the issue of raising a family. Unlike heterosexual couples, most same-sex couples have to go through the complex, time-consuming process of adoption.

The process itself is not so much of a problem. The opinion that portrays these parents as detrimental to a child’s development presents the biggest concern. This is the very basis behind recent developments in adoption, including Russia’s decision to close the adoption doors to countries that have laws allowing same-sex marriages.

As always, arguments to the contrary may require some scientific backing. A new study published in the journal Child Development is giving credibility to gay and lesbian families, suggesting that adoptive couples’ sexual orientation is less important than how these couples work together and support each other.

Researchers found in the controlled study that lesbian and gay couples were better at sharing tasks than heterosexual couples, who tend to concentrate on a few tasks. Researchers also found that how cooperative, supportive or competitive the parents are with their duties has a significant impact on the child’s behavior. Those children with the most behavioral issues were raised by parents who were dissatisfied with the division of childcare duties between each parent.

The study echoes other recent studies that concluded that children of same-sex parents under 18-years old grew up with the same amount of self-esteem and family time as their heterosexual counterparts. Currently, 20 percent of families who are adopting children are of the same sex, but the laws have not quite adjusted to this reality.

There are many children without parents and there are many couples ready to care for these children. Houston has experienced and reliable family law attorneys who may be able to help prospective parents, same sex or not, in finding a home for the right child.

Source: Medical Daily,” Better Cooperation Among Parents More Important For Raising Kids Than Sexual Orientation,” Anthony Rivas, July 14, 2013